List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 286
# List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 286

This is a list of cases reported in volume 286 of United States Reports, decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1932.

## Justices of the Supreme Court at the time of volume 286 U.S.

The Supreme Court is established by Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States, which says: "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court . . .". The size of the Court is not specified; the Constitution leaves it to Congress to set the number of justices. Under the Judiciary Act of 1789 Congress originally fixed the number of justices at six (one chief justice and five associate justices). Since 1789 Congress has varied the size of the Court from six to seven, nine, ten, and back to nine justices (always including one chief justice).

When the cases in volume 286 were decided the Court comprised the following nine members:

| Justice | Office | Home State | Succeeded | Date confirmed by the Senate (Vote) | Tenure on Supreme Court |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Charles Evans Hughes | Chief Justice | New York | William Howard Taft | February 13, 1930 (52–26) | February 24, 1930 – June 30, 1941 (Retired) |
| Willis Van Devanter | Associate Justice | Wyoming | Edward Douglass White (as Associate Justice) | December 15, 1910 (Acclamation) | January 3, 1911 – June 2, 1937 (Retired) |
| James Clark McReynolds | Associate Justice | Tennessee | Horace Harmon Lurton | August 29, 1914 (44–6) | October 12, 1914 – January 31, 1941 (Retired) |
| Louis Brandeis | Associate Justice | Massachusetts | Joseph Rucker Lamar | June 1, 1916 (47–22) | June 5, 1916 – February 13, 1939 (Retired) |
| George Sutherland | Associate Justice | Utah | John Hessin Clarke | September 5, 1922 (Acclamation) | October 2, 1922 – January 17, 1938 (Retired) |
| Pierce Butler | Associate Justice | Minnesota | William R. Day | December 21, 1922 (61–8) | January 2, 1923 – November 16, 1939 (Died) |
| Harlan F. Stone | Associate Justice | New York | Joseph McKenna | February 5, 1925 (71–6) | March 2, 1925 – July 2, 1941 (Continued as chief justice) |
| Owen Roberts | Associate Justice | Pennsylvania | Edward Terry Sanford | May 20, 1930 (Acclamation) | June 2, 1930 – July 31, 1945 (Resigned) |
| Benjamin N. Cardozo | Associate Justice | New York | Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. | February 24, 1932 (Acclamation) | March 14, 1932 – July 9, 1938 (Died) |

## Notable Case in 286 U.S.

### Nixon v. Condon

In Nixon v. Condon, 286 U.S. 73 (1932), the Supreme Court held the all-white Democratic Party primary in Texas unconstitutional. This was one of four cases brought to challenge the Texas all-white Democratic Party primary. All challenges were supported by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The Court reasoned that because a Texas statute gave the party's executive committee the authority to exclude would-be members of the party – an authority, the Court said, that the executive committee hitherto had not possessed – the executive committee was acting under a state grant of power. Because there was state action, the case was controlled by Nixon v. Herndon (1927), which prohibited state officials from "discharg[ing] their official functions in such a way as to discriminate invidiously between white citizens and black".

## Federal court system

Under the Judiciary Act of 1789 the federal court structure at the time comprised District Courts, which had general trial jurisdiction; Circuit Courts, which had mixed trial and appellate (from the US District Courts) jurisdiction; and the United States Supreme Court, which had appellate jurisdiction over the federal District and Circuit courts—and for certain issues over state courts. The Supreme Court also had limited original jurisdiction (i.e., in which cases could be filed directly with the Supreme Court without first having been heard by a lower federal or state court). There were one or more federal District Courts and/or Circuit Courts in each state, territory, or other geographical region.

The Judiciary Act of 1891 created the United States Courts of Appeals and reassigned the jurisdiction of most routine appeals from the district and circuit courts to these appellate courts. The Act created nine new courts that were originally known as the "United States Circuit Courts of Appeals." The new courts had jurisdiction over most appeals of lower court decisions. The Supreme Court could review either legal issues that a court of appeals certified or decisions of court of appeals by writ of certiorari. On January 1, 1912, the effective date of the Judicial Code of 1911, the old Circuit Courts were abolished, with their remaining trial court jurisdiction transferred to the U.S. District Courts.

## List of cases in volume 286 U.S.

| Case name | Citation | Opinion of the Court | Vote | Concurring opinion or statement | Dissenting opinion or statement | Procedural jurisdiction | Result |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Taylor v. United States | 286 U.S. 1 (1932) | McReynolds | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (4th Cir.) | judgment reversed |
| United States v. Smith | 286 U.S. 6 (1932) | Brandeis | 9-0 | none | none | certified question from the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (D.C. Cir.) | judgment affirmed |
| General Motors Acceptance Corporation v. United States | 286 U.S. 49 (1932) | Cardozo | 8-0[a] | none | none | certified questions from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (9th Cir.) | certified questions answered |
| United States v. Commercial Credit Company | 286 U.S. 63 (1932) | Cardozo | 8-0[a] | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (5th Cir.) | decree reversed |
| The Ruth Mildred | 286 U.S. 67 (1932) | Cardozo | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2d Cir.) | decree reversed, and cause remanded |
| General Import and Export Company, Inc. v. United States | 286 U.S. 70 (1932) | Cardozo | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2d Cir.) | decree affirmed |
| Nixon v. Condon | 286 U.S. 73 (1932) | Cardozo | 5-4 | none | McReynolds (opinion; with which VanDevanter, Sutherland, and Butler concurred) | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (5th Cir.) | judgment reversed, and cause remanded |
| United States v. Swift and Company | 286 U.S. 106 (1932) | Cardozo | 4-2[a][b][c] | none | Butler (opinion; with which VanDevanter concurred) | appeals from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (D.D.C.) | decree reversed, and petitions dismissed |
| Fox Film Corporation v. Doyal | 286 U.S. 123 (1932) | Hughes | 9-0 | none | none | appeal from the Georgia Supreme Court (Ga.) | judgment affirmed |
| McCormick and Company v. Brown, Commissioner of Prohibition of West Virginia | 286 U.S. 131 (1932) | Hughes | 9-0 | none | none | appeal from the United States District Court for the District of West Virginia (D.W. Va.) | decree affirmed |
| Bradford Electric Light Company v. Clapper | 286 U.S. 145 (1932) | Brandeis | 8-0[d] | Stone (opinion) | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (1st Cir.) | judgment reversed |
| Utah Power and Light Company v. Pfost, Commissioner of Law Enforcement of Idaho | 286 U.S. 165 (1932) | Sutherland | 9-0 | none | none | appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Idaho (D. Idaho) | decree affirmed |
| Reed v. Allen | 286 U.S. 191 (1932) | Sutherland | 6-3 | none | Cardozo (opinion; joined by Brandeis and Stone) | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (D.C. Cir.) | judgment reversed |
| Champlin Refining Company v. Oklahoma Corporation Commission | 286 U.S. 210 (1932) | Butler | 9-0 | none | none | appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma (W.D. Okla.) | one case dismissed; one case affirmed; one case affirmed as modified |
| MacLaughlin, Collector of Internal Revenue v. Alliance Insurance Company | 286 U.S. 244 (1932) | Stone | 8-0[e] | none | none | certified questions from the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (3d Cir.) | certified questions answered |
| Blakey v. Brinson | 286 U.S. 254 (1932) | Stone | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (4th Cir.) | judgment reversed |
| MacDonald, Trustee in Bankruptcy v. Plymouth County Trust Company | 286 U.S. 263 (1932) | Stone | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (1st Cir.) | decree reversed, and cause remanded |
| Page v. Arkansas National Gas Corporation | 286 U.S. 269 (1932) | Stone | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (8th Cir.) | judgment affirmed |
| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company v. Berry | 286 U.S. 272 (1932) | Stone | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the Missouri Supreme Court (Mo.) | judgment reversed |
| Lawrence v. Mississippi State Tax Commission | 286 U.S. 276 (1932) | Stone | 8-1 | none | VanDevanter (short statement) | appeal from the Mississippi Supreme Court (Miss.) | affirmed |
| Texas and Pacific Railway Company v. United States | 286 U.S. 285 (1932) | Roberts | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Claims (Ct. Cl.) | affirmed |
| Continental Tie and Lumber Company v. United States | 286 U.S. 290 (1932) | Roberts | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Claims (Ct. Cl.) | affirmed |
| Piedmont and Northern Railway Company v. Interstate Commerce Commission | 286 U.S. 299 (1932) | Roberts | 8-0[c] | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (4th Cir.) | judgment of the District Court is affirmed |
| Southern Railway Company v. Youngblood | 286 U.S. 313 (1932) | Roberts | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the South Carolina Supreme Court (S.C.) | judgment reversed, and cause remanded |
| Southern Railway Company v. Dantzler | 286 U.S. 318 (1932) | Roberts | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the South Carolina Supreme Court (S.C.) | judgment reversed, and cause remanded |
| Woolford Realty Company v. Rose, Collector of Internal Revenue | 286 U.S. 319 (1932) | Cardozo | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (5th Cir.) | judgment affirmed |
| Planters Cotton Oil Company v. Hopkins, Collector of Internal Revenue | 286 U.S. 332 (1932) | Cardozo | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (5th Cir.) | judgment affirmed |
| Michigan v. Michigan Trust Company | 286 U.S. 334 (1932) | Cardozo | 8-1 | none | McReynolds (without opinion) | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (6th Cir.) | judgment reversed |
| St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company v. Simpson | 286 U.S. 346 (1932) | Cardozo | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the Arkansas Supreme Court (Ark.) | judgment reversed, and cause remanded |
| Continental Baking Company v. Woodring | 286 U.S. 352 (1932) | Hughes | 9-0 | none | none | appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Kansas (D. Kan.) | decree affirmed |
| Sproles v. Binford | 286 U.S. 374 (1932) | Hughes | 9-0 | none | none | appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (S.D. Tex.) | decree affirmed |
| Adams v. Mills | 286 U.S. 397 (1932) | Brandeis | 8-1 | none | Butler (short statement) | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (7th Cir.) | judgment reversed, and cause remanded |
| North America Oil Consolidated v. Burnet, Commissioner of Internal Revenue | 286 U.S. 417 (1932) | Brandeis | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (9th Cir.) | judgment affirmed |
| United States v. Kombst | 286 U.S. 424 (1932) | Brandeis | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Claims (Ct. Cl.) | judgment reversed |
| Atlantic Cleaners and Dyers, Inc. v. United States | 286 U.S. 427 (1932) | Sutherland | 9-0 | none | none | appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (D.D.C.) | decree affirmed |
| Ex parte Green | 286 U.S. 437 (1932) | Sutherland | 9-0 | none | none | motion for leave to file a petition for a writ of mandamus against the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington (W.D. Wash.) | motion denied |
| Erie Railroad Company v. Duplak | 286 U.S. 440 (1932) | Sutherland | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (3d Cir.) | judgment reversed |
| Hardeman v. Witbeck | 286 U.S. 444 (1932) | Butler | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (5th Cir.) | decree affirmed |
| Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad Company v. Borum | 286 U.S. 447 (1932) | Butler | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the Minnesota Supreme Court (Minn.) | judgment affirmed |
| Rude v. Buchhalter | 286 U.S. 451 (1932) | Butler | 9-0 | none | none | certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (10th Cir.) | affirmed as modified |
| Porter v. Investment Syndicate | 286 U.S. 461 (1932) | Roberts | 9-0 | none | none | appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Montana (D. Mont.) | decree reversed, and cause remanded |
| Gregg Dyeing Company v. Query | 286 U.S. 472 (1932) | Hughes | 9-0 | none | none | appeals from the South Carolina Supreme Court (S.C.) | judgments affirmed |
| Edwards v. United States | 286 U.S. 482 (1932) | Hughes | 9-0 | none | none | certified question from the United States Court of Claims (Ct. Cl.) | certified question answered |
| Wyoming v. Colorado | 286 U.S. 494 (1932) | VanDevanter | 9-0 | none | none | original | motion to dismiss overruled |
| Colorado v. Symes, Judge of the U.S. District Court | 286 U.S. 510 (1932) | Butler | 7-2 | none | Stone and Cardozo (without opinions) | motion for writ of mandamus to the judge of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado (D. Colo.) | motion granted |

    [a] Stone took no part in the case
    [b] Sutherland took no part in the case
    [c] Hughes took no part in the case
    [d] Cardozo took no part in the case
    [e] Roberts took no part in the case
